Thursday, August 28, 2008

SCAM Reminder: Keep Getting Up!

Eight years ago Barack Obama was thoroughly humiliated at the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles.

He had recently lost a congressional primary in Chicago, and both his political and personal bank accounts were empty. The rental car company rejected his credit card. He failed to get hold of a floor pass and ended up watching the proceedings on a big screen in a car park.

He returned home with his tail between his legs before the week was out -- and left the celebrations to the people who mattered, not least the Clintons, who took every chance to seize the limelight from the Gores.

This year Mr Obama is the Democratic convention.

Sometimes even those of us in Illinois forget that Barack Obama has not always been on the assent. That before he was a rising star, he was a fallen star -- a premature has-been and a never-was. But when he was knocked down, he didn't give up -- he got up.

There will be setbacks between now and election day. But when we are knocked down, we need to remember to get up.